High Strike Temps

[joecast]

after my first mash attempt i was wondering what a high strike temp does to the mash? not for any particular reason.

would that possibly damage the enzymes in the grains and basically ruin what you are trying to acchieve (basically convert protiens to sugars)? as well as getting tannins out of the grain husks, but that would happen at any time in the mash.
joe

 

[Jovial_Monk]

Hmmm you don't specify what you mean by a high mash temp

over 80C the enzymes, esp beta amylase become denatured, killed if you like.

At 74C the enzymes start working at a rapid rate, so there is conversion, but the beta gets denatured eventually. My traditional (1830's) IPA accidentally got mashed at 74C, SG at day 7 was 1032 compared to the OG of 1084. A dextrinous wort and so much less attenuation than expected (normally that would have attenuated to 1020) Be interesting to see in July when I rack it off the dryhops and bottle it whether the yeast has attenuated it a bit more. The SG samples tasted *radical*

Scotch wee heavies tend to get mashed at 70C for 30 mins with a very stiff mash, again to preserve the dextrines

Jovial Monk